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March 19, 2012

Threshold Group’s New Service Focuses on Family Foundations

Specializing in families and their sometimes-fraught dynamics

Wealthy families sometimes struggle unsuccessfully to have their investment advisors work collaboratively with the family foundation so that investment strategies are aligned with the group’s charitable purpose.

Threshold Group, a boutique family office headquartered in Philadelphia and Gig Harbor, Wash., last week introduced an investment advisory program for family foundations to facilitate a close working relationship with their advisors.

Threshold Foundation Services is designed to emphasize the following:

Advice pertaining to a decision-making process specific to family-run organizations

Investment strategy, planning and execution in concert with family goals and philanthropic mission

Partnering on family dynamics and the interpersonal issues that can surface on family boards

Dedicated mission-related investment capabilities for those families seeking to create broader social and programmatic impact

“Like families, many family foundations are visionary and creative—they aren’t content to just color between the lines,” Craig Muska, director of investment management for Threshold Foundation Services, said in a statement. “They want to do the responsible thing with their investments, but they also see themselves as vastly different from the broader universe of corporate or community foundations.”

Muska said that the new service also helps foundations deal with family dynamics, which can sometimes be fraught and may negatively affect a portfolio’s performance. “Most advisors steer clear of these dynamics,” he said. “Our approach is to respect, understand and help families work through those interpersonal relationships.”